This invention relates to a new and improved tubular product clamp, in particular to inserts of such a clamp.
Tubular product clamps such as slips are used in the oil industry for holding tubulars, such as drilling tubes in a firing line. Classic slips comprise a set of wedge shaped slip blocks, which are placed in a slip bowl to engage a drill pipe or casing. The angled surfaces of the slip blocks in combination with the angled surface of the slip bowl cause axial forces exerted by the tubular, e.g. drill pipe, on the slip blocks to be transferred into a lateral gripping force exerted on the drill pipe. Thus, the slip blocks support the tubular in the firing line and prevent it from slipping through the slip. The tubular can be disengaged by lifting the tubular to take the weight off the slip blocks. The slip blocks can then be lifted out of the slip bowl.
Known slips are provided with replaceable inserts, in the form of metal plates with a corrugated grip surface, which inserts form the gripping surface with which the product clamp engages the tubular. Typically, the slip blocks are provided with vertical slots, extending in the vertical direction along the side of the slip block facing the tubular product, into which these inserts are mounted.
Due to the clamping forces generated when supporting a tubular in a firing line, the wear of these inserts, more in particular of the gripping surface of the inserts, is significant. Therefore frequent maintenance and replacement of these parts is necessary. Often this requires removing the tubular product clamp from the firing line, opening the product clamp and/or partial deconstruction of the clamp. During the replacement of the inserts, the product clamp can not be used.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tubular product clamp in which the above mentioned drawbacks are eliminated altogether or occur in a greatly reduced extent. In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tubular product clamp, which preferably allows for quick and easy replacement of the inserts.